VI.3

LEO

Notes for the Animation of the “Centers”

The awakening of the subtle centers involves a whole complex of special activities, demanding the use of all one’s faculties. It is not enough just to apply direct methods and magical practices; everything that one thinks, feels, and does must be harmonized with the goal of awakening. Otherwise what has been gained through sporadic occult practices is lost in daily life.

The first problem that arises is that of cultivating the interior life in the midst of sense-impressions. It would be a mistake to begin by setting up a strict dualism, because it is not a question here of contrary and irreducible polarities. Instead, one lives the inner fullness of the path of awakening in parallel with the impressions of the material world. We must remember that the sense of the I comes from the contrast with the world of the non-I. The metaphysical problem of the world’s reality is not under consideration here: we live daily with certain givens of consciousness, and we have to start from there.

How then should we receive these external impressions? In a clear and active way. We should take, rather than receive, the sensations of the external world; we should not be a field on which actions and reactions simply play themselves out. Nothing is more dangerous and banal than a certain naturalness and spontaneity. Passive witness of what is happening to us induces a semi-dreamlike state in the midst of waking life. Often when something interests us deeply we are totally absorbed in it, and it takes over the field of consciousness, causing emotive states and impulses in which our I has no part. Instead, we need to act as if saying to ourself: “I take this inside me and make it mine—now I have become different from what I was, and I compare myself with what I was before.” The resulting change will show us the true meaning of what we have received. The impulse to act should be accompanied by the declaration: “I will it thus.” In this way one may see no difference between the line of conduct of one who “receives and reacts” and he who “takes and wills.” But internally, the difference is enormous: the latter is keeping the consciousness of the I awake in the face of the world.

One of the difficulties of the practice of concentration, which is an indispensable condition of development, comes from the fact that, being habitually passive, we cannot suddenly become active at a given moment. The object of concentration possesses and transports us, imposing unwanted associations, so that the intial theme is superimposed with a kaleidoscope of images, and the exercise dissolves in a sense of failure and emptiness.

It follows from this that to master the power of concentration, one needs a definite content on which to fix one’s attention. Those who believe that they can simply create the necessary void within themselves to become receptive to impressions from the spiritual sphere are deluded. At most they may reach a state of inner rigidity and emptiness to produce a state of inhibition, which is merely cerebral tension and will never give any experience of a higher order. For if they try to apply it to the subtle centers, it will go by way of the nerves and muscles. Only when the training has reached the point of being able to hold prolonged attention on a definite content, will one be able to let the latter drop and realize the void in one’s consciousness. Above all, one will need to have already become sensitive to the spiritual influences and to the tone of supersensible perceptions, in order to be able to recognize them and grasp them in consciousness.

In order to undertake a serious preparation, one must take account of the modes of action and the nature of the subtle centers, and of what they represent not only in relation to occult powers, but also in connection with ordinary consciousness. It would be an error to believe that these centers are only active in the development of higher powers: they have, so to speak, two faces, one turned inward, the other outward. The former develops in an occult direction, consciously applied; the other indirectly, with certain modes of activity that we can experience in relation to everyday life. We will see both aspects as we examine the centers and their modalities of awakening, one by one.

First, we must bear in mind that under the influence of today’s civilization—given the importance that the brain has assumed—the subtle centers have suffered a sort of involution close to atrophy, due to the materialism with which we are imbued. However, self-animation is still possible. The activity of the centers currently survives among mediums and involuntary clairvoyants, but only self-development can give complete mastery of them. In telepathy and precognitive phenomena they have a brief and momentary reawakening; but it is a sporadic and isolated reactivation, not attained through the current from above that carries with it lucid consciousness and volition. At most, when a current is present it is coming up from below; it does not grant either full possession nor permanent activity, and always depends on an order of stimuli which could not be maintained without a destructive physical reaction.

I

The first center is at the pituitary gland, at a point which corresponds externally to where the nose meets the forehead. In earlier times it was more external; in modern man it has been internalized, producing a sort of dent at the root of the nose, as can be seen by comparing an Egyptian or Greek profile with one of our time. When it was more external, supersensible perceptions were possible, felt as forming part of the outer world. Now everything spiritual takes place on the inside, and all its development has to start from an introversion of the soul, so to speak, which perceives the images of the spiritual world reflected mirrorlike in itself. Thus the attitude required for higher vision is the opposite of the receptive attitude of the extroverted senses.

This center serves as the basis for the I-sense and is the conscious awakener of the other centers, beside being the starting point of the downward current. Through its relations with the two vital centers of the pituitary and the pineal glands (which, in turn, are connected with two orders of other endocrine glands), it influences bodily changes and changes in the physical type of the individual. Through other subtle centers, it also has a transformative action on the seventh center, that of creative and sexual energy.

Its development depends on disciplines that reinforce the I, and those which sharpen the awareness of inner states. A useful practice is to withdraw into oneself and separate the sensory perceptions from the inner changes that they have produced, comparing them with the content of other perceptions. One thus develops a special type of memory, containing not the materials of perception itself, but a series of states and changes of consciousness that have their own independent life. Transference to the other centers often takes place automatically, following the content, as we will see in connection with the different functions of those centers.

Another important consequence of awakening this center is a change in the sense one has of one’s body, which follows the bloodstream rather than the nerves. It is impossible to describe this state to someone who has not experienced it; the best one can say is that the habitual sense of the body is perceived through irradiation, whereas this is perceived as a diffusion. In this condition it is possible to attain a deep isolation from the external world and a rich and concentrated interiority. One feels different qualities of blood in the various regions of the body, and also variations according to the hours of the day and differing bodily conditions. But all this has to appear spontaneously; going to look for these sensations exposes one to autosuggestions, beside producing local hypersensitivities that can become harmful.

What I have explained so far can already lead to a certain degree of development, and should be followed in the given order. The interior refinement cultivated through developing these centers is a long and patient task. A golden rule in this, as in other cases, is not to accept any inner experience unless it is marked by evidence as direct as that of sense-perceptions. The stricter we are with ourselves, the more persuasive the results will be. When one is too easily satisfied, the process of refinement is halted, whereas the more satisfaction is delayed, the greater the possibility of progress.

II

The second center in descending order is behind the larynx. What I have said about the first center applies to this and the other centers, especially regarding concentration. What has been experienced through concentration on the first center, one should be able to carry over to the second; but it requires a certain transformation in the content of concentration itself to enable it to change its position.

We choose a theme for concentration; it does not matter here whether the content is more or less true and “proven” in the scientific, positivist sense. What is important is the movement deriving from it, and that it should be felt in the soul. For example, the phrase “The Light is within me—I am the Light” contains a thought that suits the first center and activates it. If we now change to another theme, “Light is Life—the Life of the Light is within me,” this formula, with the transposition it contains, will be suitable for concentration on the second center. Naturally, the imagination also helps in bringing down the transformed thought. Imagination is a potent force when there is concord and harmony, as in the case of this formula.

Here, too, one needs to remove the obstacles, and above all coordinate all our activities with our aspirations. Many things that we do in daily life are such that this center, too, remains stifled or deformed.

The sense of “voluntariness,” mentioned in connection with the first center, is now transformed into a sense of deliberation, not only active but motivated: seeing clearly the value of our actions and also our words, both for ourselves and for others. Talking for its own sake is as fatal for this second center as automatic thinking for the first. Verbal automatism, speaking without control or purpose, must therefore be eliminated.

One must also attend to the precision and sufficiency of expression in what one wants to say, and not deform or falsify it, consciously or otherwise. The larynx center has a subtle relationship with the inner images present in memory, and also with words that are thought, while with sounds it creates external forms corresponding to these images. Thus if the inner image and that expressed in words do not exactly correspond or are even contrary, it produces a sort of trauma in the larynx center, paralyzing its development.

However, when this development occurs and the center begins to be rhythmically active, it becomes a new organ, acquiring a special sensitivity to people’s thoughts. This can happen in different ways, depending on the individual. In some, depending on an influence from certain characteristics of the fifth center (the solar plexus), it awakens psychic sensations of “color,” of a kind of symbolic character. To explain it, we recall what often happens in dream: the consciousness of the subtle body has certain experiences that, to be retrieved in waking consciousness, need to be translated into the material of images, recollections, etc., contained in the memory. Therefore they choose sensory images that have the closest resemblance and analogy with the supersensible images, and these constitute the material of the dream that is “remembered.”

In the same way, the perceptions of the larynx center choose the closest corresponding sensations of “color,” because the perception of colors is accompanied by certain reactions in the subtle body, related to the reactions that certain orders of thought provoke in us. Thus the perception of others’ thoughts is accompanied by a sort of colored, psychic vision. But for the great majority of people, who are creatures of modern culture and civilization, development does not begin like this. Vision comes in an entirely different way, or at a later time, as support for another kind of vision that I will try to describe. Usually the communication of other people’s thoughts, beside the spoken words, comes through the vocal intonation and all the tiny facial expressions that give an all-round impression, revealing far more to us than the words alone can, or intend to convey. Sometimes we notice the signs that transmit the meaning of a thought, sometimes not—but the impression is there whether or not we grasp it. Now, the development of the larynx center multiplies and refines the sensitivity to impressions of this kind. If we learn to put ourselves in the necessary state of receptivity, we find the thoughts in our mind as though we have perceived them through the senses. A special and recognizable state of mind develops through the consciousness of this center, and after a while one becomes able to sustain it, and thus to use the larynx center as a new organ. Curiosity and secondary, personal goals are unfavorable to its development, because then the imagination goes free and can deceive us by creating false images. The favorable conditions are impersonality and sympathy.

Another result is the sense of the mantric value of word and sounds. One hears certain phrases with a certain word-order with revulsion, others with satisfaction, irrespective of their meaning. We learn how certain sounds and formulae have a deleterious effect on us, while others give us strength and harmony. Variations in the tone of voice also come into play, recognizable by anyone with the same degree of development; and one acquires the ability to transmit with one’s voice more than is in the words, which the listeners are well able to understand. Even when talking about the simplest things, one can give the sense of a strong personality, knowing and capable.

III

There is a third center, corresponding to the heart, or to be exact in the heart itself. It has entirely different characteristics, partly because the thorax and abdomen are a different bodily environment. It is more mobile, and is regulated almost entirely by energies that do not enter the field of ordinary consciousness, whereas mobility in the head and larynx areas requires conscious intervention. In the thorax we are in a world of rhythms that correspond to extra-human rhythms: breathing and the heartbeat follow rhythmic laws that reflect the macrocosm.

The breath influences this center, and conversely, concentration on it modifies the breath and makes it rhythmical. It also slows down, because the blood requires less oxydization, and because carbonic acid no longer has the function of a toxic product, and can be used for magical purposes. Thus the sense of the I is transferred to the blood itself (cf. page 196, above¹).

Self-possession of one’s body strengthens, and the possibilities of self-transformation increase.

The emotional life is very important to this center; everything with a sense of emotional heat is related to it, while everything that is mentally arid has no effect on it.

In passing from the second center to this one, the theme of concentration can be altered as follows: “The Light is heat—The heat becomes Love in me.”

Once enlivened, this center makes it possible to perceive directly the tendencies, impulses, and possibilities of other beings, and even their feelings, so long as one is capable of sufficient “impersonality.” Here we must repeat what was said about the larynx center, concerning the two forms of subtle perception: via color-vision, and direct.

The obstacles to developing the heart center are uncontrolled feelings, automatic emotional reactions, and passions. This does not mean that one should become arid (aridity being basically an emotional polarity: the fear of emotion): one can surrender fully to a feeling or an emotion while willing them. Then the feeling capacity will be increased and also enriched by a content of consciousness, so long as one retains the power to stop and collect oneself. It also requires an inner justification of our feelings and a concord between thinking, feeling, and acting. If the outer form of our action is different from the internal, it produces a disorganization of the heart center, for the same reason as was given concerning the larynx center.

Another result of the development is a kind of serene courage—a word whose etymology [from Latin cor = heart] carries an occult justification. It is a form of physical courage, and in our moral life, it is a constant certainty that neither emotions nor events can overwhelm us.

At a higher level, the life of feeling seems to surpass the limits of the body and come into intimate relationship with the world around us. Even natural phenomena reveal themselves as emotional states and living forces, and the fullness and reality of such a feeling can in no way be compared to the common sort.

Much more could be said about these centers, but we must treat details that have a personal value for everyone, because the paths of development are as diverse in their details as the individuals concerned, and personal instructions can only be given individually. For this reason we will only give general indications concerning the remaining centers, below the thorax.

IV–VII

The fourth center is found behind the stomach; the fifth corresponds to the solar plexus; the sixth is between the kidneys; the seventh corresponds to the reproductive organs. The latter two are also connected to minor centers.

When one tries to move one’s consciousness toward the lower centers, one finds an obstacle that at first seems insurmountable. One has the sensation of facing a dark and rather hostile world. One feels forms at work that do not belong to us, which come from outside us. They are the planetary rhythms, the primitive cosmic forces which preside over the transformation of matter: semi-dormant faculties that, with the increasing surrender of man to the sensory world, have become buried in the unconscious. From these come the mediumistic faculty, the protoplasmic substance described by Gustav Geley, spontaneous clairvoyance, the world of the lowest magic. But there, too, is the crown of human development: union with the cosmic forces and conscious contact with the spiritual beings that are currently operating in and through us without an encounter. There, too, are the possibilities of high alchemy, and of the creative power that in human reintegration achieves the union of the microcosm with the macrocosm.

He who enters this lower world unprepared and unguided may lose himself, pulled backward by the primitive forces—even when they reveal an artificial paradise of illusions and mirages: he may lose the sense of what he is, being deceived by what he imagines himself to be. Only maturity of the first three centers can guarantee his safety. Anyone who knows what forces one is dealing with here can only be amazed by the levity with which some schools of magic pursue certain experiences, for the sake of some slight immediate and visible result.

The kingdom of heaven is for the patient and the persevering. Knowing how to wait and knowing how to dare are the two poles of occult development. One must proceed calmly and firmly, without excessive force and without discouragement, relying on the integrity and harmony of one’s own body. Besides, since most physical disturbances have their root in a state of inner disharmony, inner calm and harmony preserve the body and allow one to proceed on the path of higher development.

From what I have said, both explicitly and between the lines, for the comprehension of those who already know, one can gain enough to begin and to go a long way. The spiritual world puts strong pressure on the dam of illusion of the senses and of the intellect; when we begin to demolish them, it will break powerfully in on us.